Still Halcyon Days of Peace
by HybridCyborgSoldier
Summary: Barricade finds inspiration in unlikely form. A short story and a break from my other works and school.


She remained quiet, it seem the only logical thing for her to do in the situation anyway.

"What do we do with it?" one voice grumbled

"Kill it" the other shrilled.

Suddenly her great plan became a failure as her 'holding cell' began to fill with liquid. She didn't know what it was but it wasn't natural to her in anyway.

"Get it out of our supply!" a voice boomed with great disgust.

She pounded the glass as the liquid forced itself against her, in her. 'Please!" she begged in her mind as the thick substance filled her throat and lungs. 'Spare me this fate' Everything quickly went black before she was forced to feel her body fight its inevitable death, constricting in spasms as it struggled for air and removal of the foreign substance.

"It still lives?" a voice questioned, unsure if the result would be good or bad.

"Yes," the other hissed.

'Do I live?' She questioned, telling herself to move, to force her eyes open to see. She suddenly sputtered as something slithered out of her throat making her puke.

"Disgusting creatures aren't they?" the voice continued.

She quickly felt something warm yet sharp scrape along her back as if caressing her, petting her. She began to recite poetry quietly as she tried to escape into her head.

"What does it say?" the voice whispered, curious, suspicious, and even angered.

The once caressing object stabbed into her back.

"Speak up creature!"

She was forced to look at the bloody, metal spike that emerged where her heart should have been. She shuddered as she fought death before being able to scream out.

"STILL, HALCYON DAYS OF PEACE!"

She fought so hard to live, yet her brain wasn't focused on living but quoting its remembered Latin.

"PACIS QUOD ALCEDONIA! EXEGI MONUMEENTUM AERE PERENNIUS! SINE LABORE NILHIL! VENI VIDI VICI! MAGISTER MUNDI SUM! MULTI FAMAM, CONSCIENTIAM PAUCI VERENTUR! OPTIMUM EST PATI QUOD EMENDARE NON POSSIS! VIR SAPIT QUI PAUCA LOQUITUR!"

"How do you silence it?" the deep voice questioned.

A huge metal hand enveloped her pulling her off of the spear, she screamed louder.

"MORS ULTIMA LINEA RERUM EST!"

"Creature, what is it that you speak?"

The robot grumbled as it studied her. She clutched to his thumb before she looked at him. She showed her hurt, yet the robot notice an undeniable look of wisdom. Her lips moved but he could not hear. He pulled her closer.

"Ante Bellum... Pacis Quod Alcedonia..."

She struggled; surprise she was alive for so long yet, how long was it really? She didn't understand her enemy as it looked at her with an emotion of sympathy. She focused at it light eyes, mesmerized by its movements at it continued to study her.

"Pacis Quod Alcedonia?"

The robot repeated her, but in its own voice. It almost sounded like it was questioning the phrase. She smiled as she patted the robots thumb before closing her eyes and excepting death.

* * *

Barricade was frustrated. He hated this planet and he hated how his hideout was discovered by the local species, his energon supply was slightly contaminated by it and how it mocked him before it died. Telling him of its secrets but in a language he didn't even know existed on this planet until now.

"Latin: a dead language... obviously not..."

Barricade went to work to translate the secrets:

_Still, halcyon days of peace!_

_I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze,_

_Nothing without work_

_I came, I saw, I conquered!_

_I am the Master of the Universe!_

_Many fear their reputation, few their conscience._

_It is best to endure what you cannot change._

_It is a wise man who speaks little._

_Death is everything's final limit!_

_Before the war,_

_Still, halcyon days of peace._

Barricade studied the burning corpse in the furnace; a blacked skull grinned back at him in mockery.

"Did you know of me human? Of my past? Or was this merely coincidence?"

The skull plummeted into ash and disappeared into the flame. A soft whisper escaped, questioning Barricade.

Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?

Barricade growled as he looked up the translation.

_What prevents me from speaking the truth with a smile?_

Barricade question his sanity for a moment.

"I just wanted to hear some reply that's all! Reading all this pathetic language has my connections all screwed up!"

He looked into the furnace, and saw nothing but hungry flames and billowing smoke.

"I will admit though, I do like the idea... Pacis Quod Alcedonia..."


End file.
